


percy alone

by foreverobessed



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Angst, Demigods are benders, Episode: s04e02 Korra Alone, F/M, Heavy Angst, Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt Percy, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Leaving Home, Luke is Zaheer, On the Run, Percy Jackson Needs a Hug, Poor Percy, Survivor’s Guilt, Trauma, Whump, away from home, but he doesn’t get one, no comfort, percy is the avatar, percy jackson whump, this is so random
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-28
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:06:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26691121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverobessed/pseuds/foreverobessed
Summary: Percy defeated Luke three years ago, but he still is terrified.ORKorra Alone but Percy’s the Avatar.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Calypso & Percy Jackson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	percy alone

**Author's Note:**

> idk if I’ll do a verse of this but if I do I’ll definitely change stuff so this will be going under editing if I do so. HOPE YALL ENJOY THIS MESS

“What do you mean he’s been gone for a  _ year?”  _ Annabeth stresses the word. Poseidon and Sally had come down for the crowning of the new Earth Kingdom heir. Percy was supposed to be with them but apparently he had left the Southern Water Tribe a  _ year  _ ago. 

“He said he was going back to Republic City.” Sally says, worry clear in her eyes. “We wanted him to take a boat with the White Lotus but he refused and said he needed, wanted to go on his own.”

“If Percy isn’t in the city..” Jason trails off, “Where is he?”

-

Percy looks at himself in the bathroom mirror, with his hair cut recently short and no longer Southern Water Tribe style. His eye is swollen and his lip is split down the middle, and he tries to give himself a small smile, but it erupts in pain in his lip. He hisses and summons the water to his lip, the water healing him. He’s rocked out of his thoughts by the rough banging on the bathroom door.

_ “Can you hurry up? I really need to go! It’s an emergency!”  _ He summons the water back to the sink basin, not really caring about the pain any longer. He’s used to being in pain, he’s been weak and in pain for three years now. He decided to take pity on the man and let him use the bathroom. _ The Avatar saving this man’s bladder!  _ The thought brings a dull smile to his lips. 

He slings his pack over his shoulder and looks inside, making sure he has his food and money. He slides open the door and passes his eyes over the man, “Knock yourself out.” The man says something that Percy doesn’t pay attention to, he just walks along the sidewalk next to the road. He lifts his head up to stare at the stars, the stars that are covering the sky. He remembers showing Annabeth the sky in the Southern Water Tribe, her smile even brighter than the moon. Annabeth grew up in Republic City, she'd never seen the sky like that, the stars the only source of light and the Northern Lights. 

He misses his friends. He misses Jason’s small smile as he finally managed to make him crack one, he misses Leo’s humor and the way it never failed to cheer him up, he misses Grover’s happiness to just be around him, he misses Piper and the way she’d tease him, Hazel and her warm smile, Frank’s shy nature, he even misses Nico’s deadpan stare, Rachel and the way she’d make him stand still as she painted him, he misses the airbenders - Tenzin, Jinora, Kai, Ikki, and Meelo, and he misses  _ Annabeth.  _ Annabeth and her princess curls, the gleam in her eyes when they sparred when she put his earthbending to shame with her own. He misses everyone, but he can’t come back. They can’t seem him.. like this. 

The poison from Luke still haunted him, he could feel the metallic of it in his body, seeping through his skin. He can still see Luke taking the air out of his lungs in the Avatar State, when he’s supposed to be at his  _ strongest.  _ He knows Luke is locked up now and there is no way anyone could get him - Ethan, Kelli, and Silena are dead. The look on Silena’s face haunts him, they were friends. They were both waterbenders, but her betrayal shocked him. They grew up together in the Southern Water Tribe, but in the end she did the right thing. She helped Annabeth and Jason take down Ethan and Kelli. He remembers a little in the Avatar State, looking down and seeing Silena move just a second too slow - Ethan’s lava swallowed her up. 

He clenches his eyes close while walking, trying to not remember he doesn’t want to relive this he’s so so tired  _ make it stop make it stop make it stop-  _

_ (But he can’t, it still haunts him. Silena’s and Charlie’s and Micheal’s and everyone’s else death - his fault. Micheal had just become one of the new airbenders - and Luke was so close to stealing his air-) _

Percy opens his eyes as he hears honking and dives out of the way, barely missing getting hit by a car. “Are you okay, young man?” A lady asks him. She’s old, older than Percy’s parents at least, and she has the warm smile only a grandmother would have.

Percy jumps back onto his two feet and he gives her a stiff smile, “I’m fine, but thank you.” He walks down an alley and ignores his head pounding. 

_ Your fault, your fault, your fault, your fault, your fault your fault your fault your fault your fault yourfaultyourfaultyourfault- _

Percy snaps his head up to stare at himself, the one with the eyes glowing in the Avatar State. The old him, the one with his hair cut into the Southern Water Tribe style, the one who was so cocky and arrogant and foolish and stupid and impulsive. The one who messed up, the one who is hiding from his friends. He cringes and grips his head as scenes flash in his head -  _ Silena’s face as she burns, the poison seeping into his skin fighting off the Avatar State (it hurts it hurts so bad, make it stop!), the air leaving his lungs as he gasps for air, not being able to fight off Luke- _

He balances himself, shouldering his pack and trying to ignore his mind. He can still remember how easy it was, how easy he could just grab ahold of Luke’s blood and force him to his  _ knees.  _ He wanted to, he wanted Luke to feel the same desperation, fear he did when he wheezed for air. He makes his way to the cheap, dank motel he had paid a room for. He gets the keys out of one of his pack’s pockets and slips the key through the lock and locks the door behind him. The motel’s room is small and has a twin bed and an even smaller bathroom. The shower is small and shoved into a corner and the toilet and sink are shoved together. 

Percy strips himself of the Earth Kingdom style clothing, and starts up the shower. He walks into the shower, ignoring the chill of the cold water. It reminds him of the cold water of his home, the Southern Water Tribe. Not quite as cold though. Nothing could quite compare to the cold chill of the Tribe’s seas.

He scrubs himself off using cheap soap he bought from a shady Earth Kingdom merchant. (He also bought shampoo and conditioner from the same merchant - it didn’t cause irritation or burning or anything so it was fine with him). He digs his nails into his skin, scrubbing his skin red. He wanted to scrub himself clean of the guilt, the fear, the anguish, the terror,  _ everything.  _

He ignores the tears filling up his eyes, squeezing them shut. He cleaned himself up quickly, walking out to the room and grabbing a towel that laid on the bedside table next to the twin bed. He pats himself off and gets changed, donning the green of the Earth Kingdom. The sleeves came down to his elbows and squeezes his biceps slightly. He wrapped up his fist and forearm, ignoring the bruised knuckles. He cleans up the motel room and packs up his stuff. 

Percy likes to travel by night, less people might spot him that way. He didn’t look like he did three years ago but he still had the same eyes  _ (not really, his eyes now were too haunted)  _ and hair. He forks out some money and leaves it on the twin bed. He closes the door behind him and heads out. He enjoys walking now more than ever, his calves are sore and aching from walking from town to town but it clears his head. It’s easy to focus on that pain. One time he tried to do the same, focus on the pain of the poison that was left in his body but it was too much. He had felt like it was in it for the first time. He focuses on the dirt path ahead of him, leading him to the next town. Maybe in this town he wouldn’t get his ass kicked as much.

_ - _

_ “Is it weird I’m excited for you to go?” Leo asked Percy, a grin wide on his face. His arms were crossed and he looked down at Percy. Percy was tall, over six foot. The wheelchair he was still getting used to. _

_ “Leo,” Piper scoffed, pushing Leo’s elbows and making him stumble.  _

_ “What?” Leo exclaimed once he had regained his balance, “I’ve never had a pen pal before! I’ll write you like everyday.” _

_ His friends surrounded him; Piper, Leo, Jason, Annabeth, Grover, Hazel, Frank, Jinora, Tenzin and Nico. _

_ “I don’t want you to have to worry about anything, Percy.” Tenzin said with a soft smile. Tenzin always regarded him like a student, like a son. Even when the two were bickering. Percy wondered if he would still feel that way if he knew that the reason he was able to drag Luke down through the tornado the airbenders created was grabbing ahold of his blood, making sure he didn’t move. It surprised him, it wasn’t even a full moon, but he was the Avatar. (It also scared Percy how easy it was to manipulate the blood in Luke’s body). “Jinora, the airbenders, and I will take care of everything. I don’t want you to focus on a thing except getting better.” Percy looked between Tenzin’s soft smile and Jinora’s caring expression.  _

_ He nods slowly, looking back up at his friends. “You just need to focus on getting better, okay Percy?” Hazel told him, putting her hand on his shoulder. Her voice was soft and caring, it reminded him of his mother.  _

_ “If you need anything.. we're here, Perce.” Jason said, crossing his arms over his chest. Percy nodded at the firebender, and looked at his friends surrounding him. He peeked up at Annabeth, there was this tension that they still haven't discussed. He was so close to finally telling her he loved her but then - Luke happened. Annabeth had been friends with Luke, before he was imprisoned along with his friends - Ethan and Kelli. Ethan was an earthbender with the ability to manipulate lava and Kelli - a combustion bender. Silena had been manipulated into the plan, he didn’t blame her in the slightest. Percy was okay if Ananbsrh didn’t want him anymore - he used to be a pro bender, the Avatar. Now he couldn’t even move his legs.  _

_ “Are you sure you don’t want me to come down with you?” Annabeth asked, swiping some locks of hair out of his face. _

_ How badly Percy wanted to scream yes, scream that he didn’t want to leave her side, but he couldn’t.  _

_ She’s only doing this out of pity,  _ his mind whispered traitorously,  _ she doesn’t care about you. Not anymore.  _

_ “No, it’s fine.” Percy bit out against gritted teeth. Annabeth’s architecture business was finally booming and she had employed Leo to be a mechanic to her business, fixing and making everything and anything. “You and Leo have a business to run.” _

_ Annabeth pulled a confused expression and opened her mouth to say something then closed it. Her lips were tugged up in the corners, “I’ll write you whenever I can, alright?” _

_ Percy nodded and all of his friends said their final goodbyes. They wheeled him up to the ship, the ship that would take him home.  _

_ “Oh, honey.” His Mom said when she saw him, kneeling in front of the wheelchair and kissing his knuckles, “You’re going to be just fine, Percy. Your father and I are going to take good care of you.”  _

_ His father, Poseidon, stood behind his mother and put a hand on both of their shoulders. “You’re going to heal, stronger than ever, Perce.” Percy nodded and wished he could believe it, but all he believed right now was that he was a failure - he failed in his duties as the Avatar.  _

_ - _

_ Percy crashed to the floor, his head smacking against the cool wooden floor. The pain didn’t really bother him, it was the humiliation of it all. Percy managed to roll over on his back, staring up at the ceiling of Katara’s healing cabin thing. He heard Mrs. O’Leary’s whines as he struggled to grab onto the pole that was helping him walk. _

_ “It’s only been a couple days since you’ve arrived here, Percy.” Katara’s soothing voice was usually a comfort, but he didn’t have time for soothing. He had to be helping. “You’re pushing yourself too hard. It was just yesterday when you were able to move your big toe.” The action sent a tremendous amount of joy through Percy, and he wanted to get started on his recovery.  _

_ Mrs. O’Leary approached over and hung her head to support him while getting up. He grabbed onto one of her shoulders but not enough to hurt her or rip any fur out, just enough to help himself onto his two feet. He pulled himself up and settled most of his body weight onto the polar bear dog. He scratched Mrs. O’Leary’s chest, as she helped him to his wheelchair. He sat down and tilted his head towards Katara. “I just.. all my friends are out doing things right now! Helping the world.. and I’m here still weak! All because some crazy man poisoned me! And.. I could’ve stopped him.” Percy spitted out the last part bitterly.  _

_ “Percy.. there was nothing you could have done to stop-“ _

_ “No!” Percy interrupted, “You don’t understand.. I could’ve.. I could’ve ended the right there but it was wrong, Katara.” _

_ Katara looked at Percy and her eyes widened as she realized what he was talking about, but he couldn’t stop now. He knew Katara had used the ability before herself in the 100 year war. “Why did you think he didn’t fly out of that tornado? Because I knew if I was going to go down then I’d at least bring him down with me.. it wasn’t even a full moon! I’m scared, Katara. Scared of what I could do to people.. but I need to help them. I’m the Avatar that’s my duty,” _

_ Katara’s eyes softened at Percy’s last words and she sighed, “The world can do without the Avatar for a little while. Tenzin and the airbenders have everything under control… just for now worry about yourself.” _

_ - _

_ Percy was sitting in his bed looking over the letters his friends had sent him. He shuffled through them, looking at the names that had sent them; Jason, Annabeth, Leo, Hazel, Frank, Piper, even the occasional one from Grover or Nico or Rachel. _

_ Dear Percy, _

_ I hope you’re doing alright. I really wish you would respond to someone’s letters. We really miss you, stupid. I bet you’re getting back on your feet now and are putting all the other past Avatars to shame like you usually do.  _

_ Percy’s eyes skimmed over the letter that Piper had sent him and set it aside. He hadn’t sent responses to anyone’s letters - he was already a disappointment and didn’t want to seem like a bigger one than he already was. His progress was slow and he had just finally managed to making it ten steps without using railing or anything. His legs were sore and aching from the fact that he didn’t have anything around him to lean on. He bit down on his lip and threw the letter to the side. He didn’t want to read them anymore. _

_ - _

Percy wonders what his friends would think of him now, he used to travel on his polar bear dog - Mrs. O’Leary. Mrs. O’Leary had been his best friend since forever, she was a polar bear dog but she had a mutation that made her fur midnight black. She was a big puppy in Percy’s opinion. Percy walks along the dirt path, there wasn’t a lot of trees around him, no cover of someone managed to get the jump on him. 

He walks along the path until he makes it to a small village with the sun just making its way up along the horizon. He wrangles up some money from his pockets and pays for a couple pieces of fruit from a small shop in the town. He doesn’t really notice the woman who is the shop keeper of the stand till he finally looks up from staring at the ground and looks at her. She has dark, caring eyes and hair that’s caramel colored. 

“Are you okay?” Her voice was smooth and her tone soft. He tilts his head up to meet her sympathetic eyes. 

Percy forgot about his split lip and swollen eye and he nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine. Just have a knack for getting my ass kicked.” Percy cracks a small smile at that, and winced when it tugged at his lip.  _ (Like Luke kicked your ass,  _ his mind whispers. He tries not to remember the way he wheezed, gasped for air. How could someone he trusted like a brother do that?

She gave him a soft smile but her eyes were still sympathetic and sad for him. “Do you need help.. healing? I.. know a few tricks.” 

Percy wants to say no, he knew he should say no. He knew it because he couldn’t get attached, couldn’t let anyone know that the Avatar was here, but to this merchant girl he was just a hurt traveler, he was just a bad bender to her, he hadn’t had anyone touch him or treat him with compassion since he left the Southern Water Tribe. “If that’s okay with you.. I wouldn’t want to intrude.” 

“I offered.” The woman says, “My name is Calypso.. and you are?”

He gave her another small smile, one that didn’t meet his eyes (but when did they meet his eyes? They haven’t in three years), “I’m Percy.”

-

_ “I want to go to Republic City.” Percy said after two years in the Southern Water Tribe.  _

_ It was over breakfast with the food still steaming around them. His Mom, Sally, frowned into her coffee cup and his Dad paused what he was doing. _

_ “Are you sure, honey?” Sally said, worry clear in her tone.  _

_ “Are you sure you're ready to go back yet?” Poseidon asked, “You know there’s no rush.. Tenzin said he has everything under control.” _

_ “I just.. I have to get back out there. The White Lotus have watched me since I was three, Dad. I just want to.. be alive again. I want to go back, please. I’m better now, I’ve been able to walk for a year now. My bending is better now I can take care of myself.” _

_ Poseidon’s eyes softened and he sighed, “I'll have the White Lotus prepare a boat for you to take-“ _

_ “No!” Percy blurted out, cutting his Dad off. “I want to do this on my own.. I need to do this on my own.” _

_ Poseidon nodded, although reluctantly. His Mom looked reluctant too. Percy sighed in relief, and used the edge of his fork to cut the blue pancakes. He just needed to have some alone time, that’s all. _

-

Calypso gives Percy a smile as she walks into her kitchen, carrying a bowl of water. He’s sitting on one of her kitchen chairs. Her house is small yet cozy. She wrapped a fluffy blanket around his shoulders, and although he didn’t really get cold he appreciated the gesture. She pulled up a chair in front of him and sat the bowl on the table next to them. 

“Promise you won’t freak out?” She asks with a soft expression. Percy nods and she gives him another smile, and Percy finds himself with his stomach fluttering. The water flows smoothly and the water glows.

“You’re a waterbender healer!” Percy says, gaping. She has that kindness to her that Katara also has. He didn’t originally peg her as bender but now that he sees her he doesn’t know how he didn’t. “You are - you seem.. really good. Not that I’ve seen many waterbenders in action! Definitely not this far into the Earth Kingdom.”

Calypso flushes under his gaze and she looks up at him through her eyelashes. She’s pretty, even an idiot like Percy can realize that, but for some reason it feels like he’d be betraying Annabeth. He still remembers Annabeth looking at him as he defeated Luke - who was their friend. He wonders if she holds any resentment towards him for that. The water goes to around his lip, healing the skin that split apart and putting it back together. 

“Do you just use it for healing?” Percy asks, curiously. She was really good at healing, he noted, better than himself. 

Calypso nods, and Percy’s brows furrow in confusion. “You're good, and healing can be difficult to master. You’d be good at.. fighting.”

“I’ve just never really had the use for it.” Calypso says, moving the water to heal his swollen eye. He closes his left eye, the one that’s swollen. 

Percy nods in understanding, it’s a quiet, small town. Why would she have a use for it? Percy closes both of his eyes, finding himself at peace with someone healing him. He hasn’t been able to sleep easily or relax in a while. It was nice to let his guards down, just this once. He tries not to remember Annabeth’s soft princess curls as he threads her fingers through it, or her cunning gray eyes, or her face in pro bending as she takes down the opposing team, or the way she’d bite down on her lip as she was focused or confused, or the smile she graced him with. He had to fight back a big smile, the corners of his lips quirked up.

He heard Calypso sigh and he realized the water had went back to the bowl. His eyes flutters open and he met Calypso’s now saddened gaze. “Who is she?” Calypso suddenly asks. 

Percy’s eyebrows furrow again, “Excuse me?”

Calypso gave him a look, “You have that look that all men who cross me do. You’re yearning for someone, you miss them. Who is she?”

Percy’s eyes flicker from the floor to the eyes and he sighs, “Her name is Annabeth Chase. She’s.. beautiful. She’s the CEO of this company, with one of our best friends. I haven’t been home in three years. I.. I don’t think I can go back. I’m not who I once was.” 

Calypso gives him a sad smile, “You.. you seem different from the rest. I always seem to be attracted to men who.. can’t stay. I wish you the best, Percy. I’d offer for you to stay but.. I have the feeling you won’t accept.”

“Thanks for your help, Calypso. I.. I really appreciate it. You.. you’re probably one of the nicest people I’ve met in a while. I won’t forget you.” He puts his hand on Calypso’s elbow, clasping it. He gets up and settles the blanket on her couch and grabs his pack that sets by the door. When he stands up fully from bending over Calypso is next to him. 

Calypso gives her another sad smile and nods, “It was nice to meet you, Percy.”

Percy smiles at her, and opens the door. He walks out of the small town of Ogygia, with his pack swinging behind him with each long step he takes. 

-

Percy stumbles along the stone path, holding his head up against the rough rain that pelted his head. He was drenched, cold seeping into his bones. He tries not to slip and fall against the slippery stones. He’s so focused on paying attention to his feet and where he’s going he totally misses walking into someone’s metal chest plate. 

He falls backwards on his ass and groans, looking up through his eyelashes to meet dark brown eyes, almost black and equally as dark hair. Her dark hair is tied up and out of her face and not as drenched as her own. The woman is dressed in Earth Kingdom greens underneath her armor. She offers him her gloved hand and he takes it. She’s strong and pulls him up easily. 

“Thanks,” He says, almost shyly. After a period of silence he introduces himself, “I’m Percy.”

The woman gives him a curious, but guarded look. “I’m Reyna.”

**Author's Note:**

> HOPE y’all enjoyed THAT MESS if y’all liked it comment!! this was low key inspired by bronze dragons by r1ptides, so yeah. This is a MESS n has no organization so if I ever follow this up this will edited remember y’all are loved <33


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